Discover how to sort your recycling and what belongs in your bin. Please empty and rinse metal, glass, plastic and cartons containing food before recycling.
Metal (all kinds)
- metal cans (soup, pet food, empty aerosol cans, empty paint cans, etc.)
- aluminum foil and foil products (wrap and trays)
- metal caps and lids
- household metal items (wire hangers, pots, tools, curtain rods, small appliances that are mostly metal, certain vehicle license plates, etc.)
- bulky metal items (large metal items, such as furniture, cabinets, large mostly metal appliances, DOES NOT INCLUDE electronic devices banned from disposal)
Glass
- glass bottles and jars ONLY
Plastic (rigid plastics)
- plastic bottles, jugs, and jars
- rigid plastic caps and lids
- rigid plastic food containers (yogurt, deli, hummus, dairy tubs, cookie tray inserts, “clamshell” containers, other rigid plastic take-out containers)
- rigid plastic non-food containers (such as “blister-pack” and “clamshell” consumer packaging, acetate boxes)
- rigid plastic housewares (flower pots, mixing bowls, plastic appliances, etc.)
- bulk rigid plastic (crates, buckets, pails, furniture, large toys, large appliances, etc.)
Note: Rigid plastic is any item that is mostly plastic resin—it is relatively inflexible and maintains its shape or form when bent.
Cartons
- Food and beverage cartons
- Drink boxes
- Aseptic packaging (holds beverages and food: juice, milk and non-dairy milk products, soup, etc.)
Paper
- newspapers, magazines, catalogs, phone books, mixed paper
- white and colored paper (lined, copier, computer; staples are ok)
- mail and envelopes (any color; window envelopes are ok)
- receipts
- paper bags (handles ok)
- wrapping paper
- soft-cover books (phone books, paperbacks, comics, etc.; no spiral bindings) (schools should follow their school book recycling procedures)
Cardboard
- cardboard egg cartons
- cardboard trays
- smooth cardboard (food and shoe boxes, tubes, file folders, cardboard from product packaging)
- pizza boxes (remove and discard soiled liner; recycle little plastic supporter with rigid plastics)
- paper cups (waxy lining ok if cups are empty and clean; recycle plastic lids with rigid plastics)
- corrugated cardboard boxes (flattened and tied together with sturdy twine)
Not Accepted
- Paper with heavy wax or plastic coating (candy wrappers, take-out and freezer containers, etc.)
- Soiled or soft paper (napkins, paper towels, tissues)
- Hardcover books (schools should follow their school book recycling procedures)
- Batteries
- Electronic devices banned from disposal
- Printer cartridges
- Glass items other than glass bottles and jars (such as mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics, and glassware)
- Window blinds
- Foam plastic items (such as foam food service containers, cups and trays, foam protective packing blocks, and, and foam packing peanuts)
- Flexible plastic items (such as single-serve food and drink squeezable pouches and tubes such as toothpaste, lotion, cosmetics, or sports balls such as basketballs, bowling balls, soccer balls, footballs, yoga balls)
- Film plastic (such as plastic shopping bags and wrappers.) Bring plastic bags and film to participating stores for recycling
- Cigarette lighters and butane gas lighters
- Cassette and VHS tapes
- CDs and DVDs
- Pens and markers
- “Tanglers” (such as cables, wires, cords, hoses)
- Rigid plastic containers containing medical “sharps” or disposable razors
- Containers that held dangerous or corrosive chemicals
Source: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/recycling/what-to-recycle